Been there,
Done itWe're back at Kibo in about an hour. I collapse on a cot. The day is over, though it's not even noon.
Two days later, back at the base of the mountain, I wash for the first time in a week. A half hour spent soaking in a vast tub, like Crichton in the book. It has taken a while to develop feelings for what I've been through. Until now, I've been too numb, too spent to reflect on the week's events.
First thought: the sheer absurdity of coming all this way to walk up a mountain. Here I am devoting considerable resources to a ridiculous goal. Still, I'm happy to have reached that goal, proud to have beaten the mountain.
"First Reflections"
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At the hotel gift shop I buy some postcards and a t-shirt. It's a play on the Nike logo and motto: JUST DONE IT. KILI 96. I wear it for the next couple of days.
Nick Zieminski has also climbed Mount Rainier and intends to tackle Mount McKinley in coming years. Between vacations, he writes and produces business news updates for CNN, CNN International and Headline News.
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